Mr McGartland maintained that he held these because he wanted to throw the IRA off his trail.

Since then, he has been given a further £3,000 to help him move from his Newcastle address.

He first came to the attention of the RUC through his involvement with petty crime. He provided the RUC Special Branch with information on the paramilitary group's activities under the codename Agent Carol.

He has said that relatives have been intimidated from their West Belfast homes by republicans.

Since the ceasefire in 1994, and the cessation in 1997, he has frequently appealed to be allowed home.

But a bitter reminder of how the IRA treats informers came recently when another informer turned author, Eamon Collins, was murdered in Newry.